Rumor has it that the vert ramp at the Hood River skatepark is for sale. 5K is the asking price for this highly modified ramp that rests on the chassis of one of those old Firestone touring ramps consisting of a metal frame with a plexiglass surface. I think you can still actually see the plexiglass underneath. Those old Firestone ramps didn’t have any flat bottom either. These things have turned up at skateparks before, always resurfaced. I guess the plexiglass goes bad, although you would think it wouldn’t. I think this ramp was resurfaced last year? Supposedly it’s being offered for sale to public entities only, but if there are no takers after a set time period they will offer it up for all interested parties. Why is the ramp for sale? They’ve got plans for concrete in that spot. There’s no information on the offcial parks web site, but one thing is for sure, if it ever becomes available for private purchase, interested buyers will have to wrestle Steve Grover (right) for the rights to make the first offer. [Photo left: Hood River Valley Parks and Recreation]

There must be some park in the Portland plan that this would be perfect in. They should buy it and put it in one of them now, pending the full build later. 5k’s a bargain compared to cement. Tom, MC, what would this take (besides 5k…)? Lot’s of people have been hankering for a vert ramp…

I will pass the Info to the Gresham parks and Rec people in Gresham as well..who knows. I think it would be perfect for one of the Portland Locations under the 405 bridge. covered = less maintanence would be a good spot. There isnt much vert, but I hate to lose the only Full size wood public half pipe.

It has a full 2 feet of Vert Dude! not 6?. I know because I built it! LOL !! NO way around it as it was a steel framed preset curve. the Vert sections were add on panels bolted on at the top lips.

Hood River news took some shots the month I finished it Sept 1999. Back then we had very little funding so I used sheet metal ontop on plywood and painted the ramps with industrial blue floor paint! Later on they added skatelite..but kind of botched it leaving big cracks between the sheets in places which was a shame. I found that frame in Mosier down the road from Hood River. Some guy had it turned upsidedown and was using it as a garage! It was u shaped no flat. With 2 feet or bolt on vert. I had help from HR highschool shop class they welded me up a 8 feet of flat by 16 feet wide..and we turned it into what you see in the pic!